September 22, 2006

SUING BIG TOBACCO IS JUST SO YESTERDAY

California sues automakers for climate damages (Michael Kahn, Reuters, September 22nd, 2006)

The administration of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced it is suing six of the world's largest automakers over global warming, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have caused billions of dollars in environmental damage in the state.

Named in the suit, filed late Wednesday, are: General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp., the U.S. arm of Germany's DaimlerChrysler AG and the North American units of Japan's Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

"Global warming is causing significant harm to California's environment, economy, agriculture and public health. The impacts are already costing millions of dollars, and the price tag is increasing," Attorney-General Bill Lockyer said after filing the suit.

Shouldn't California politicians come with health warnings?

Posted by Peter Burnet at September 22, 2006 5:32 AM
Comments

Gotta raise revenue. After the tobacco companies the conventional wisdom was they'd go after liquor or fast-food.

Posted by: Gideon at September 22, 2006 6:00 AM

California is -- surprise -- nutsing out again. They ought to be suing the people who drive the death-dealing devices. After all, a car sitting cold in a San Jose driveway emits nothing until some latte-slurping twit gets in and motors off to a hug-the-Hezbollah rally. Besides, isn't it entrapment for California to enact sphincter-clamped automotive-emissions requirements, then sue the vendors who fastidiously complied with them to meet consumer demand in the Nutso State?

Posted by: Axel Kassel at September 22, 2006 7:20 AM

Would it be collusion if all the automakers decided to stop doing business in CA simultaneously?

Bill Lockyer would be run out of Sacramento in 5 minutes if they made the announcement. BTW, Arnold demand his impeachment over this, even if he doesn't have the votes.

Posted by: ratbert at September 22, 2006 7:54 AM

Some economic development honcho in either Houston or San Antonio should be giving Toyota a call right now, to find out how much would it take to get them to move HQ out of SoCal.

Posted by: Brad S at September 22, 2006 8:32 AM

BTW, this sort of sue-happy nonsense will stop when Conservative trial lawyers (yes, there are some!) collude with a state Attorney General to go after the Gaming industry. Talk about going nowhere in a big hurry; the Gaming industry is in bed with just about every political group you could think of. Ask Bill Bennett.

Posted by: Brad S at September 22, 2006 8:35 AM

Nissan has already pulled their offices out of CA.

Posted by: jim hamlen at September 22, 2006 10:10 AM

And Toyota's got a brand-new truck plant in San Antonio.

I also think the Reuters lead is a wee bit misleading in saying "The administration of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger", since like publicity hound Elliot Spizer in New York, Locklear is pretty much an independent contractor in this boondoggle, and has a history of coming up with looney legal actions. But then since suing Big Auto is something you would think the blokes at Reuters would normally approve of, and you assume they know Arnold's a Republican and wouldn't want to give him credit for anything they believe is progressive if they didn't have to, chances are either the writer or his copy editor thinks state attorney generals are tied to their governors, in the same way the USAG and the president are interlinked at the national level.

Posted by: John at September 22, 2006 10:37 AM

Isn't this a ploy to placate the unions?

Posted by: erp at September 22, 2006 1:38 PM
« NOT NOTES: | Main | PRINCIPLES FOR THE UNPRINCIPLED »